Detachable wheel chair walking apparatus



y 6, 1952 J. D. THOMAS 2,596,055

DETACHABLE WHEEL CHAIR WALKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1947 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 6, 1952' UNITED STATES PATENT DETACHABLE WHEEL CHAIR WALKING APPARATUS 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for use 'by invalids but more particularly to an apparatus for use in conjunction with or without a wheel chair to enable the user, supported by such apparatus, to walk and move about at will and thereby exercise his leg muscles to strengthen and improve their condition.

It has for one of its objects to provide an ap paratus of this character which is so designed and constructed as to be readily attached to and detached from a wheel chair, by the invalid himself, while seated in such chair, and which per mits the chair to be propelled in its usual manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel chair walker which is readily adjustable by the user to his own wheel chair and which is adjustable as to height to accommodate the walking or exercising comfort of the patient.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus attached for use to a wheel chair. Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation thereof, partly in section. Figure 3 is a front view thereof, partly in section.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

By way of example, I have shown my invention in conjunction with a wheel chair of ordinary construction, l indicating the frame, II the seat, [2 the side arms, I3 the foot rest, M the hand-propelled wheels, and I5 the caster or steering wheel. Suitably secured to the opposite sides of the chair-frame below the arm rests thereof are mountings 16 by which the walking device, indicated generally by the numeral IT, is adapted to be detachably connected in correlation to the wheel chair. These mountings may be in the form of tubular or socketed members having clamping screws 2'! applied thereto for facilitating the ready attachment of the walking device to or its detachment from the wheel chair.

In its preferred construction, the walking device i'l consists of a comparatively light frame made of tubular material and including laterallyspaced side sections I 8, l8 of substantially rectangular shape having handle bars l9, l9 at their upper ends. These handle bars are telescopically fitted in the companion side sections for vertical adjustment to accommodate the height of the patient for supporting himself while walking or exercising and they are retained in adjusted position by clamping screws 20. At its lower front end each frame-section 18 has a caster 21 mounted thereon which glidingly supports the device when coupled with the wheel chair, while the lower rear end of each frame section has a socket 22 therein to receive a caster should the patient desire to use the device as a unit separate from the wheel chair.

These frame-sections 18 are adjustably joined in spaced relation at their front ends to accommodate the width of the wheel chair, while between their rear ends they are unobstructed to permit the patient to transfer himself from the chair to a walking position between such sections and back again. For this purpose these sections may be joined by telescopically-fitted members 23, 24 and clamping screws 25 or the like provided for retaining them in their properly spaced position.

The rear end of the walking device is adapted to be supported from and detachably connected to the wheel chair and for this purpose its framesections have rearwardly-extending coupling members or bars 26 for telescopic engagement with the companion mountings [6 on the wheel chair. Clamping screws 21 are provided for securely retaining the device in coupled relation to the chair. By this construction, the patient himself can readily attach and detach the walking device to his wheel chair while seated therein and without the aid of others, and it does not interfere or in any way prevent the wheel chair being propelled in its usual manner should the patient have occasion to do so.

While manifestly simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, this wheel chair walker or exerciser attachment is very practical and enables the patient himself to connect it to and disconnect it from his wheel chair and to have maximum confidence for support and complete safety and protection when he desires to exercise his leg muscles and at the same time be assured that at the end of such exercising period he can again relax in his chair by merely changing from a standing to a sitting posture. The transversely adjustable tie bars or members 23, 24 serve as front guard rails whereby the patient is confined in his exercising between such rails and the wheel chair. In practice, the patient propels his wheel chair to the walking attachment and after connecting the parts, he is in unobstructed correlation with the attachment to transfer himself unaided from the chair to a standing posture between the frame-sections l8, l8 and, after exercising, as readily transfer himself to the chair. and with the assurance of complete supporting protection at all times.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a wheel chair, of a walking device therefor comprising a wheeled frame for supporting the patient in a standing posture and in open communicating relation at its rear end to the wheel chair, said frame including spaced handle-bar forming side-sections adjustably connected at their front ends and. open at their rear ends to afford the patient unobstructed passage from the chair to the frame and vice versa, and complementary interengaging means at the opposite sides of the chair and extending rearwardly from the opposite sides of the frame for detachably connecting the latter to the former.

2. The combination with a wheel chair, having arm rests, of a walking device therefor comprising a wheeled frame for supporting the patient in a standing posture and in open communicating relation to the wheel chair, said frame including a '4 laterally spaced handle-bar forming side-sections joined at their front end by adjustably connected tie members and open at their rear end to afford the patient unobstructed passage from the chair to the frame and vice versa, mountings attached to the chair adjacent the arm-rests thereof, and. coupling members projecting from the rear end of said frame and detachably engaged with said mountings.

JEAN D. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

